Raw Deal: Why is this car parking firm pursuing Wendy?

WENDY REID, from Almondbank, Perthshire, is one of thousands of people being hounded by a car parking company after making an honest mistake.

Wendy, 74, uses Perth’s Kinnoull Street car park every Saturday morning – and always makes sure to pay her ticket.

But on November 12 last year she accidentally entered the wrong registration number into the ticket machine’s complicated system, after forgetting she was driving her husband’s car instead of her own.

The car park is run by a company called Smart Parking.

Wendy’s husband was issued with a charge in the post.

Realising what had happened, Wendy got in touch with Smart Parking to explain her mistake – and even sent a photocopy of her ticket, proving she had paid.

But the company refused to listen and insisted it was owed £100, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days.

It enclosed a videograb picture of Wendy’s husband’s car entering and leaving the premises. They know which car was in their car park and when.

And Wendy doesn’t dispute this. She paid for the service she used. She still has the ticket. Her husband’s reg is easily checkable. Wendy’s reg is easily checkable. This was an honest, and quite minor, mistake. Wendy paid for the service she received.

After the 14-day deadline, a letter came in from a firm called Debt Recovery Plus Ltd, insisting Wendy now owed £160 and threatening court action.

Another letter – they just kept coming – warned she could be forced to pay Smart Parking’s court fees and solicitor’s costs if she lost in court.

Another letter arrived just last week, this time bearing the name “Zenith Collections”. It also demanded £160.

Wendy told Raw Deal: “I think it’s ridiculous. It was a genuine little mistake. They know the car is my husband’s because they sent the fine to him.

“It’s not like I didn’t pay the charge for the time I was there.

“To fine you for something like that when in an ordinary car park you would just pay the charge or a warden would check it.

“It was just a genuine mistake. It’s £160 they want – for a 90p stay which they got anyway.”

Wendy’s story is just one of many. Smart Parking’s car parks in Inverness and Darlington have also been subject to a barrage of complaints.

In Darlington, an 81-year-old was threatened with court after he overstayed by one minute.

The British Parking Association guidance says that companies should not charge more than £100 in breach notices.

The BPA code of practice states: “If the parking charge asked for is for a breach of contract or act of trespass, this charge must be proportionate and commercially justifiable.

“We would not expect this amount to be more than £100. If the charge is more than this, operators must be able to justify the amount in advance.”

Contacted by The Sunday Post, a Smart Parking spokesman said: “We rejected Mrs Reid’s appeal as she accepted that she did not buy a ticket for the car she parked in the car park.”

They are pursuing her for £160 for a 90p parking charge that she can prove she has already paid.

Do you think that’s fair?

Perth MSP is taking up the fight

“Nothing is certain in life except death, taxes and if you live in Perth – parking fines.

“I have received hundreds of letters and emails from honest people fined or invoiced huge amounts for minor infringements at Smart Parking’s Kinnoull Street multi-storey.

“The change from metered parking with attendants to a number plate recognition system has caused chaos.

“If you believe the views of industry insiders, an overly-complicated system is no accident. Puzzle-like parking meters that are difficult to understand could almost have been designed to entrap motorists.

“One only needs to look at the accounts of a private car park company to see how reliant they are on revenue from penalties.

“In 2015 I was also caught, incorrectly, by the system. I entered my reg number and paid the right amount, but I still received threatening letters and an invoice for £160.

“I led a debate in the Scottish Parliament aimed at pressuring the industry into adopting fairer practices, but since that debate little has changed. If they won’t get their house in order, then it’s up to us to do the job for them.

“I’ve signalled my interest in introducing a private members Bill to the Scottish Parliament that will address this issues

“Hopefully, with the right pressure from Parliament, people like Wendy will no longer be harassed like this.”

Do you have a problem?

 

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